ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Sept. 29, 2025 – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is proud to announce its 2025–2026 Board of Trustees, with Keith Hobson serving as President, and Paul Schuler serving as President-Elect. Corey Williams was elected to serve as Vice President.
WEF President Keith Hobson brings more than four decades of experience in environmental engineering. He is a former President and CEO of Fox Engineering Associates and currently serves as a project manager with Strand in Ames, Iowa. Throughout his career, he has provided expert consulting services to municipal and industrial clients, with a strong focus on sustainable and innovative environmental solutions.
As WEF President, Hobson will lead the organization in advancing its mission of inspiring the water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being. During his one-year term, he will work closely with the Board and WEF leadership to support the implementation of the WEF Strategic Plan and drive continued progress in the water sector.
It is an honor to step into the role as President of the Water Environment Federation,” said Hobson. “I look forward to working alongside our dedicated Board, members, House of Delegates and Community Leadership Council, as we advance our mission to create a life free of water challenges and strengthen our collective impact. Congrats also to Corey Williams on his recent election as Vice President.”
Corey Williams assumes the role of WEF Vice President and also serves as president and CEO of SmartCover Systems, the innovation leader for intelligent, real-time sewer monitoring systems. A WEF member for his more than 30-year career, Williams has guided multiple companies, engaged in advisory board positions for startups, and served as a project manager or executive in charge of more than 125 projects for water and wastewater utilities throughout the United States, Australia and Europe.
WEF Also Welcomes New Trustees Rasha Maal-Bared and Andrea Hall
Rasha Maal-Bared, is principal scientist at the CDM Smith Bellevue Research and Testing Laboratories, where she oversees environmental microbiology and innovative water and wastewater treatment research and development projects. Rasha also serves as adjunct professor at the University of Alberta’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and chaired the Water Environment Federation’s Community Leadership Council from 2023-2025.
Andrea Hall, PHR, SHRM-CP, is Global Strategic HR Director at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where she drives the integration of human capital strategies with core business objectives, while championing inclusive, empowered cultures across global teams. Andrea currently chairs WEF’s Board of Trustees DE&I Committee, and has served on WEF’s Governance, Utility Management, and Program Committees.
The 2025–2026 WEF Board of Trustees includes:
- Keith Hobson, President
- Paul J. Schuler, President-Elect
- Corey Williams, Vice President
- Christine Volkay-Hilditch, Treasurer
- Howard Carter, Immediate Past President
- Ralph Erik Exton, Board Secretary and WEF Executive Director
- Tracy Ekola, Trustee
- Andrea Hall, Trustee
- Walid Khoury, Trustee
- Rasha Maal-Bared, Trustee
- Brian Persing, Trustee
- Kalpna Solanki, Trustee
“I am grateful to have served as WEF president, and I appreciate the years of service that Aimeé Killeen and Stephen Sanders have devoted to this organization as their Board duties come to a close,” said Howard Carter, Immediate Past President of WEF. “Our new Board of Trustees reflects the depth of expertise and diversity of thought that defines our community. With Keith Hobson at the helm, we can accelerate our strategic priorities to bring people into the water workforce and continue leading the transformation to the circular water economy.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS
Alyson Moses, WEF Managing Director, Marketing & Communications
amoses@wef.org
Heidi Bragg, WEF Senior Director, Public Outreach and Communications hbragg@wef.org
ABOUT WEF
The Water Environment Federation is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization providing water professionals with the latest in education and training. WEF is leading the transformation to the Circular Water Economy: reducing waste, recovering resources, and regenerating ecosystems. Founded in 1928, WEF’s mission is to inspire its 31,000 members and 75 affiliated member organizations and the water community in pursuit of human and environmental well-being. WEFTEC, WEF’s premiere event, is the largest annual water quality exhibition in North America, attracting a diverse, global audience. More than 20,000 registrants and 1,000 exhibitors convene at WEFTEC to experience innovative solutions and gain expert insights that positively impact the future of water. For more information, visit wef.org.